Six Views of the Blues
Jimmy Smith · 1999
45 min · 6 tracks · funk
A vibrant blend of soulful organ grooves and expressive blues melodies that showcases Jimmy Smith's virtuosity and deep-rooted jazz sensibility.
Top tracks — play these first
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St. Louis Blues — This track captures the essence of Smith's style, combining intricate organ lines with rich emotional expression, setting a high bar for the rest of the album.
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Blues No. 1 — The interplay between the organ and rhythm section here exemplifies Smith's ability to create a dynamic groove while paying homage to traditional blues structures.
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Blues No. 4 — This extended piece showcases Smith's improvisational skills, allowing him to explore complex themes while maintaining a strong connection to the blues foundation.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album effectively blends blues and jazz through strong organ compositions and skilled performances.
What we noticed
- The use of the Hammond organ is prominent throughout, with Smith's virtuosic playing style driving the melodies and harmonies.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady pacing with vibrant grooves
- gradual build to soulful resolution
- expressive melodies for deep listening
- engaging background for social gatherings
Maybe skip if you
- seeking instant gratification hits
- prefer short, standalone tracks
Where this album fits
- Career context
- By the time 'Six Views of the Blues' was released in 1999, Jimmy Smith had already established himself as a pioneering figure in jazz organ. This album arrived during a period when he was revisiting classic blues themes while still pushing the boundaries of the genre, following decades of influential recordings that defined jazz-funk and soul-jazz.
- Stylistic neighbors
- George Benson· Herbie Hancock· Jimmy McGriff
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 St. Louis Blues 8:38
- 2 The Swingin’ Shepherd Blues 3:55
- 3 Blues No. 1 6:25
- 4 Blues No. 3 7:10
- 5 Blues No. 4 10:45
- 6 Blues No. 2 9:00
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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